50 Best Community Colleges of 2021
The best community colleges provide an effective springboard into higher education, offering students high-quality two-year degree programs in a wide range of disciplines. The top rated community colleges offer a broad selection of associate’s degrees, affordable tuition rates, and strong partnerships with public four-year schools so that students can easily transfer their credits into accredited bachelor’s degree programs.
What is a community college? A community college is a public two-year college that awards associate degrees as well as some professional certifications. Community colleges typically attract students drawn from the surrounding region. Top community colleges tend to offer a wide selection of associate degrees spanning a variety of disciplines. Community colleges can be especially attractive to students interested in getting an affordable start on a four-year degree. So too, these schools appeal to students seeking professional two-year degrees designed to provide technical and practical skills for immediate entrance into the job market.
We’ve identified 839 community colleges in the US. In order to be included in this list of the best community colleges, a school needs to satisfy the following three conditions:
- It must be fully accredited.
- It must have a student body of at least 1,000 students.
- It must primarily provide two-year, or associate, degree programs (along with certificate credentials in most cases).
How do we determine the best community colleges?
The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. For associate degree rankings, we rank the best two-year colleges based upon what we call “Concentrated Influence.” Concentrated Influence takes the combined influence score of a college’s top academic influencers (including faculty and alums) and divides it by the school’s total number of students.
Using concentrated influence gives small and mid-sized schools an opportunity to shine by taking away the size advantage of larger schools. A small school with proportionately more influential faculty than a large school, whose influence in absolute terms may be bigger, will nonetheless score higher in a concentrated influence ranking. Our approach highlights community colleges that truly rank for excellence, regardless of size.
If you are serious about finding the best community colleges for an associate’s degree or professional certification, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence.
Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking which is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.
Find out more about our ranking methodology here.
The Best Community Colleges in the U.S.
- #1Anne Arundel Community College#2784 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$8K
Student body
8K
Arnold, MDView profile
Most Influential Alumni
- Robin P. Newhouse professor of nursing
- Diane Black, United States Representative
- David G. Boschert, former member of Maryland House of Delegates
- Douglas B. Byerly, musician
- Robert A. Costa, member of Maryland House of Delegates, 2003–2013
- Brian Crecente editor of Kotaku, 2004–present
- Steven Thomas Fischer, two-time Emmy nominated film producer
- Ronald Malfi horror novelist
- C. Edward Middlebrooks, former Maryland State Senator, 1995–1999
- Robert R. Neall (1971), member of Maryland House of Delegates, 1975–1987. Anne Arundel County Executive, 1990–1994
- Michael Orzechowski, playwright
- Travis Pastrana motocross racer
- Edward Snowden attended but did not graduate
- Darrell Williams, former member of White House Communications Agency, (1991-1997 and 1998–2004)
- #2Roxbury Community College#5564 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$5K
Student body
1K
Roxbury Crossing, MAView profile
- #3Eastern Maine Community College#13543 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$4K
Student body
1K
Bangor, MEView profile
- #4Springfield Technical Community College#6641 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$5K
Student body
3K
Springfield, MAView profile
- #5College of Marin#3227 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$1K
Student body
3K
Kentfield, CAView profile
What is College of Marin known for?
College of Marin's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Biology
- Business
- Anthropology
- Philosophy
- Literature
- Nursing
- History
- Medical
- Political Science
- Computer Science
Most Influential Alumni
- #7Lamar Institute of Technology#3951 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$4K
Student body
2K
Beaumont, TXView profile
- #8Kennedy–King College#3680 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$9K
Student body
2K
Chicago, ILView profile
- #9West Kentucky Community and Technical College#4926 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$4K
Student body
3K
Paducah, KYView profile
What is West Kentucky Community and Technical College known for?
Most Influential Alumni
- #10Lamar State College–Port Arthur#9091 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$4K
Student body
1K
Port Arthur, TXView profile
- #11Montgomery College#2229 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$10K
Student body
14K
Rockville, MDView profile
- #12Mitchell Community College#9747 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$3K
Student body
2K
Statesville, NCView profile
- #13University of Arkansas – Pulaski Technical College#14130 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$6K
Student body
4K
North Little Rock, ARView profile
- #14Northern Essex Community College#7280 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$5K
Student body
3K
Haverhill, MAView profile
- #15Eastern Arizona College#2299 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$3K
Student body
4K
Thatcher, AZView profile
What is Eastern Arizona College known for?
Eastern Arizona College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Business
- Chemistry
- Education
- Nursing
- History
- Biology
- Physics
- Medical
- Earth Sciences
- Political Science
Most Influential Alumni
- #16Massachusetts Bay Community College#7596 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$5K
Student body
3K
Wellesley Hills, MAView profile
- #17County College of Morris#6943 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$9K
Student body
6K
Randolph, NJView profile
- #18Bunker Hill Community College#5885 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$5K
Student body
8K
Boston, MAView profile
What is Bunker Hill Community College known for?
Bunker Hill Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Education
- Social Work
- History
- Medical
- Psychology
- Engineering
- Computer Science
- Literature
- Mathematics
- Biology
Most Influential Alumni
- #19Chabot College#2410 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$1K
Student body
8K
Hayward, CAView profile
What is Chabot College known for?
Chabot College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Business
- Education
- Computer Science
- Nursing
- Communications
- Literature
- Mathematics
- Medical
- Economics
- Engineering
Most Influential Alumni
- #20Holyoke Community College#7962 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$5K
Student body
3K
Holyoke, MAView profile
- #21Capital Community College#6827 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$5K
Student body
2K
Hartford, CTView profile
- #22Columbia College#8665 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$1K
Student body
1K
Sonora, CAView profile
- #24Brookdale Community College#3250 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$9K
Student body
9K
Lincroft, NJView profile
What is Brookdale Community College known for?
Brookdale Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Communications
- Education
- Engineering
- Business
- Medical
- Law
- Criminal Justice
- Computer Science
- Social Work
- Nursing
Most Influential Alumni
- #25Bossier Parish Community College#6696 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$4K
Student body
4K
Bossier City, LAView profile
- #26Los Angeles Valley College#2922 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$1K
Student body
10K
Valley Glen, CAView profile
What is Los Angeles Valley College known for?
Los Angeles Valley College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Communications
- History
- Education
- Computer Science
- Medical
- Engineering
- Literature
- Psychology
- Mathematics
- Biology
Most Influential Alumni
- #27Butler Community College#6217 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$4K
Student body
5K
El Dorado, KSView profile
What is Butler Community College known for?
Butler Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Medical
- Education
- Business
- Engineering
- Nursing
- Mathematics
- Computer Science
- Literature
- Law
- Sociology
Most Influential Alumni
- #28Community College of Beaver County#8711 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$12K
Student body
1K
Monaca, PAView profile
- #29De Anza College#1543 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$2K
Student body
14K
Cupertino, CAView profile
- #30Western Piedmont Community College#12799 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$3K
Student body
1K
Morganton, NCView profile
- #31Sacramento City College#2400 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$1K
Student body
15K
Sacramento, CAView profile
What is Sacramento City College known for?
Sacramento City College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Philosophy
- Education
- Business
- History
- Literature
- Political Science
- Mathematics
- Medical
- Psychology
- Computer Science
Most Influential Alumni
- #32City College of San Francisco#1463 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$1K
Student body
15K
San Francisco, CAView profile
What is City College of San Francisco known for?
City College of San Francisco's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Literature
- Business
- Education
- Criminal Justice
- History
- Medical
- Engineering
- Physics
- Communications
- Political Science
Most Influential Alumni
- #33Nassau Community College#2658 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$6K
Student body
12K
Garden City, NYView profile
- #34West Valley College#5520 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$1K
Student body
5K
Saratoga, CAView profile
What is West Valley College known for?
West Valley College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Business
- Literature
- Psychology
- Engineering
- Education
- Political Science
- Mathematics
- History
- Philosophy
- Computer Science
Most Influential Alumni
- #35Santa Fe Community College#7982 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$2K
Student body
2K
Santa Fe, NMView profile
- #36Fullerton College#2778 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$1K
Student body
14K
Fullerton, CAView profile
What is Fullerton College known for?
Fullerton College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Education
- History
- Biology
- Political Science
- Engineering
- Chemistry
- Medical
- Criminal Justice
- Literature
- Psychology
Most Influential Alumni
- #38Merritt College#1466 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$1K
Student body
4K
Oakland, CAView profile
What is Merritt College known for?
Merritt College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Computer Science
- Education
- Business
- Social Work
- Psychology
- Biology
- Sociology
- Communications
- Nursing
- Criminal Justice
Most Influential Alumni
- #39Trinity Valley Community College#5465 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$5K
Student body
4K
Athens, TXView profile
What is Trinity Valley Community College known for?
Trinity Valley Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Education
- Medical
- Criminal Justice
- Business
- Nursing
- Computer Science
Most Influential Alumni
- #40Lassen Community College#12621 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$1K
Student body
1K
Susanville, CAView profile
- #41Northwest Mississippi Community College#7187 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$3K
Student body
6K
Senatobia, MSView profile
What is Northwest Mississippi Community College known for?
Northwest Mississippi Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Nursing
- Computer Science
- Medical
Most Influential Alumni
- #42Mesa Community College#4215 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$2K
Student body
12K
Mesa, AZView profile
What is Mesa Community College known for?
Mesa Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Education
- Computer Science
- Business
- Medical
- Biology
- History
- Criminal Justice
- Nursing
- Engineering
- Political Science
Most Influential Alumni
- #43North Dakota State College of Science#3629 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$5K
Student body
2K
Wahpeton, NDView profile
What is North Dakota State College of Science known for?
North Dakota State College of Science's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Computer Science
- Biology
- Medical
- Nursing
Most Influential Alumni
- #45Richland Community College#7700 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$6K
Student body
2K
Decatur, ILView profile
- #47Central Wyoming College#5843 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$4K
Student body
1K
Riverton, WYView profile
- #48Lewis and Clark Community College#5309 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$10K
Student body
3K
Godfrey, ILView profile
- #49Cañada College#4788 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$1K
Student body
3K
Redwood City, CAView profile
- #50Baltimore City Community College#6441 institution's overall influence
Tuition + fees
$3K
Student body
3K
Baltimore, MDView profile
What is Baltimore City Community College known for?
Baltimore City Community College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Education
- Engineering
- Medical
- Business
- Social Work
- Computer Science
- Nursing
- Criminal Justice
Most Influential Alumni
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